Iowa men’s basketball team beats Alabama State, 98-67

IOWA CITY — Iowa didn’t start as quickly Friday as it did Tuesday in its men’s basketball opener, but still won by a commanding margin.

The Hawkeyes put away Alabama State 98-67 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena after leading by just 37-35 with 2:21 left in the first half. Iowa opened its season with a 110-68 rout over North Dakota Tuesday.

Senior forward Patrick McCaffery paced Iowa with 22 points. Junior forward Payton Sandfort added 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. The duo didn’t play in the final nine minutes.

Iowa scored the last nine points of the first half for a 49-37 lead. Sandfort had 12 points in the space of 1:51 after not scoring in the game’s first 17 minutes.

Sandfort made two free throws with 2:32 left in the half, a 3-pointer with 2:09 left, a three and a free throw with 1:28 remaining, and another three with 41 seconds remaining.

The Hornets led for 24 seconds in the half after they went ahead 25-24 with 8:39 left. That was after Iowa had twice led by eight points.

McCaffery scored 12 points in the game’s first 8:31.

Freshman guard Brock Harding gave the Hawkeyes a first-half spark off the bench with a floater for a basket followed by three of his game-high seven assists. It was his second-straight 7-assist game.

Ben Krikke had 13 points and Tony Perkins 12 for Iowa. TJ Madlock scored 23 for Alabama State (0-2).

Iowa’s next game is Tuesday at No. 8 Creighton, at 9 p.m.

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